Winter Garden Considers Fee For Irrigation Meters

October 2, 1985|By Robbyn Footlick of The Sentinel Staff

WINTER GARDEN — The city commission is considering a $500 impact fee on the installation of irrigation meters.

City water department superintendent Jim Swope, who recommended the impact fee last week, said he hopes the fee, plus $150 to $175 in installation costs for meters, will discourage people from using city water for irrigation.

The city's water plants, installed in 1971, were not designed for irrigation or sprinkler meters, only for residential and commercial use, he said.

If the fee has the intended effect and demands on the plant's four pumps decrease, Swope said he thinks the plants can continue to serve the city adequately.

''That's why I'm trying to blow the whistle now,'' he said. ''If they didn't do anything about it, we'd have a problem.''

The city water plant, which pumps all of Winter Garden's chlorinated water supply, currently provides water for regular and sprinkler water systems.

Severe water demand in July prompted Swope's recommendation. At that time, he said, the plant was at its peak capacity, pumping about 1 million extra gallons a day. For six to eight hours one day the water level in the tank was below normal, he said.

A lowered tank level could threaten fire prevention efforts. ''We usually like to keep about two-thirds of the tank full for the fire department,'' said Swope. ''More meters could put a serious hardship on the plant.''

More meters also could lower water pressure where water lines are narrower, he said.

Most Central Florida cities have irrigation meters and some cities have had to ban their use during dry spells, Swope said.

A city-financed remedy to the water demand problem probably would involve increasing the plant's pumping capacity, a costly project.

Another solution, Swope said, is to drill shallow wells for irrigation. It takes more water and time to irrigate with chlorinated water than with well water, he said.

''Irrigation and keeping your property nice should be a luxury,'' he said.